In Their Own Words-Part 3

[B]By CHONG MAN WON[/B] [I]Special to the Saipan Tribune
[/I] As your candidate, my platform is pretty simple. I want reliable, affordable power as well as clean, drinking water that most communities in the United States take for granted. Without these basic necessities, how can we improve our economy? How can we expect to bring back our bright young adults, let alone keep the ones we have? How can we attract new businesses, let alone keep the ones we have? How can our only industry, tourism, flourish? With our power problems, what kinds of the images were left on the tourists’ minds? The money spent to promote our islands was simply negated. Therefore, how do we expect to revive the economy if we are losing our people, businesses and tourists? The simple answer is we cannot. So what are we to do? Fix the problem. How? The only way to fix our problem is to be open-minded, make responsible decisions and be accountable for our actions. If we continue to make hasty decisions motivated by self-interest, we will never move forward. However, if we put the interest of the people first, we will not fail. Take CUC for example, what are its major problems? Do we agree with mismanagement, funding issues, high cost of fuel as well as no accountability? If so, how do we fix it? By taking the politics out of it. By placing the most qualified people to manage it. By tapping into federal funds to replace or overhaul these generators in addition to research, development and deployment of renewable energy. Federal programs and assistances are available but unfortunately we are not making use of them. These are not handouts. Many other places are taking advantage of them so why not us? These federal programs have guidelines and benchmarks thereby holding people accountable.

Renewable energy is not new and the federal government is leaning more and more toward it to become less dependent on foreign oil. With this policy shift, we should make use of every available programs and funding. For example, The Energy Independence and Security Act increases appropriations for renewable energy under research and development. It awards competitive National Energy Training Partnerships Grants to enable certain entities to implement training that leads to economic self-sufficiency (Pathways Out of Poverty Demonstration Program) and develops energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 or the 2008 Farm Bill is another example. Under the Rural Development Title, $120 million is provided for critical water and wastewater projects in rural area, $15 million for Value-Added Agriculture Product Market Development Grant programs. Under the Horticulture and Organic Agriculture Title, the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program provides competitive grants to improve and expand farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. It provides $377 million over 10 years for pest and disease detection and control. Could the CNMI establish a new industry in renewable energy that could contribute economically? Wind energy has contributed to the economy by fees paid to landowners, creation of new businesses and new jobs. Could we have programs to educate our young scholars to be experts in renewable energy? Renewable energy will not totally replace our current power generation but with proper planning, renewable energy could play a vital role in reducing our dependence on fossil fuel, lowering our electric rates and even possibly lead us to economic self-sufficiency.

Whether we like it or not, the federalization is set to happen on June 1, 2009. Even with the lawsuit, we need to be prepared. There are talks that the proposed regulations will be out for public comment by November or December of this year. We should right now be actively participating in the drafting of the regulations to ensure our interests are protected. That we have access to our entire tourism markets, especially the Russian and Chinese. Although we currently do not have a large retirees market, we should make sure that this opportunity is not closed. With improved health care and health care facilities, this market has potential. The edu-tourism market is beginning to develop and the proximity to Asian countries has made the CNMI an ideal location for foreign students.

As your representative, I will see to it that the CNMI receives as much funding as possible whether it’s for renewable energy, education, public health care or public safety. To accomplish this, I will hire the best-qualified people to assist me. I will work to improve our relationship with the federal government by taking the straightforward and honest approach. I believe that the other members of Congress will appreciate this approach. Most importantly, we will have credibility.

Honestly, I don’t have all the answers but if I don’t know, I will find out. I make no promises as to jobs or favors but I do promise to work for you. Two years is very short to accomplish many things. That’s why we must be focused on a few and actively pursue them. If we try to do too many within this time, we are bound to accomplish nothing leaving us no better off then we are now.

I’d like to close by saying, “Some say he lacks experience” but I say experience doesn’t guarantee success. Look at where experience has led us. Lack of experience can be a good thing because it makes us ask “why” and “how” instead of “It won’t work” and “I know better.” It can motivate us and motivation leads to hard work and hard work leads to success. Some say “he’s an outsider” but I say my wife is local; my kids are local so how can I be an outsider? Please don’t judge me for what I am but who I am: a husband, a father, your friend, your neighbor who is willing to make a difference for the betterment of the CNMI. Come this Nov. 4, I humbly ask for your vote of confidence.